Youth Ambassador Exchange (YAE!!)

Since 2012, WCSCI has organized an annual exchange program for 8th-grade students to our two sister cities, called the Youth Ambassador Exchange (YAE!!). The two exclamation marks symbolize the connection between our two sister cities.

Program Overview

The Youth Ambassador Exchange provides an opportunity for Walnut Creek students to travel to our sister cities for a 10-day homestay experience. During this time, they live with host families, immerse themselves in the local culture, and experience life as a teenager in Hungary or Italy. Though the program is not school-organized, we have received strong support from local schools and keep them informed about key dates and activities. Parent and teacher chaperones accompany the students, ensuring a safe and enriching experience.

Students are paired with host families who organize group activities, including school visits, city tours, meetings with local officials, and cultural experiences like cycling with friends or exploring local markets. This exchange gives students the chance to develop valuable life skills, including independence and global awareness, all while making lifelong friendships.

The program is volunteer-run, with coordination from WCSCI members and participation from local families. Each family also helps organize Host Week in Walnut Creek, which typically takes place in the spring (April). During Host Week, our guests from Hungary and Italy visit Walnut Creek, where families reciprocate the hospitality their child received abroad.

What Makes the Program Special?

The Youth Ambassador Exchange is more than just a travel program; it is a bridge between Walnut Creek and our sister cities. It strengthens international relationships while fostering connections within our local community. By participating, students gain an appreciation for different cultures, build international friendships, and bring a global perspective back to their school and home.

Program Timeline & Requirements

Application Process
- January: Mandatory Information Meeting (for 7th-grade students and families)
- February - March: Application submission, interviews, and selection process
- June: Kick-off meeting for selected students and families
- August - September: Weekly orientation meetings for 8th-grade students in preparation for Travel Week
- End of September - Early October: Travel Week to Hungary or Italy
- October: Welcome back celebration and City Council presentation
- March/April (following year): Host Week in Walnut Creek
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must be a Walnut Creek resident
- Must attend the mandatory informational meeting
- Minimum GPA of 3.0
- Teacher evaluations and interview required
- Families of selected students will need to submit a LiveScan background check for all adults in the household

Each year, approximately 20 students are selected—10 to travel to Siófok, Hungary, and 10 to Noceto, Italy. These students are chosen based on their commitment, enthusiasm, and ability to represent Walnut Creek as ambassadors of goodwill.

Sophia W

“The Youth Ambassador Exchange trip to Hungary was the best week of my life. I tried new foods and activities that I was surprised I did. I loved the culture and the people so much. They were all so friendly and caring! I didn’t get homesick at all! My Hungarian host family helped me so much and they were like my second family, especially my exchange student Zsofi. We had such a close bond which I will cherish forever. I’ve gotten homesick from my Hungarian home ever since I’ve landed in America.

I can’t wait to go back and visit my family”

Testimonials

What do past ambassadors have to say about the program?

Mia DJ

“The Youth Ambassador Exchange trip to Italy was one of the most memorable experiences of my life to date. The best parts were not Venice, Milan and Pisa but forming bonds with Isabella, my Italian sister, and her family. Learning about Italian culture, food and history prepared me for my time in Noceto.

Italian gelato is the definitely best and we had lots of it!

Being a youth ambassador gave me the opportunity to make friends half-way across the world, represent Walnut Creek, and also form bonds with students from other schools in Walnut Creek that were part of the program. It was an opportunity I would highly recommend to any current 7th grader!”

Ian H

“The opportunity to be a Walnut Creek Sister Cities Ambassador has completely changed my life, it is something I will talk about and remember for many years to come. I think that I will be friends with the other American and Italian Ambassadors for a long time. The American and Italian Ambassadors shared an incredible experience together, therefore they will always have a connection. I will tell my kids about this trip and they might tell their kids too. I had so much fun and it was one of the best weeks of my life, I hope that my partner and some of the other Italian students will stay friends for a long time.

This trip has made me want to explore the world even more and now that I’ve seen other countries, from a citizen’s perspective, not a tourist. Seeing other countries as a citizen instead of a tourist made the country seem so much better because you’re not just seeing the incredible things, you can see the daily life and really experience Italy. It makes me want to see the world even more and explore the earth.

The trip has opened my eyes to the wonders of the world. I would love to go back to Italy to see the southern part and explore places like Sicily and Rome.”

Cassidy B

“When people think of Europe, their minds initially go towards Venice or Paris and even Athens, the known treasures of Europe. Not many people even consider Budapest or Siófok for that matter, I know I didn’t. The sights, experiences and memories I gained from my time in Hungary were some of the best of my life, some that I may have never experienced if not for the YAE!! There was always a smell of cinnamon and paprika filling the air and the food was just that. Every pastry, meal even, were those filled with sugar, sour cream and paprika.

The values and morals of those I met were some of the most free-willed, kindest, free spirited people I met in my life. They were so welcoming and down-to-earth. Siófok, as a whole, was full of compassion and I know its cliché but it felt as if the whole town was just one gigantic Brady Bunch. I saw so many glorifying sights and heard just as many tall tales and historical stories trailing all the back to world war II. But my most treasured memories are the ones I spent with Hanna, my exchange student, her friends and family, because those are the ones that will stay with me throughout my life. The true takeaway from this experience in my mind is that Siófok, Hungary really is a hidden treasure of Europe.”